Nursing home quality measures come from resident assessment data that nursing homes routinely collect on the residents at specified intervals during their stay. These measures assess the resident's physical and clinical conditions and abilities, as well as preferences and life care wishes. These assessment data have been converted to develop quality measures that give consumers another source of information that shows how well nursing homes are caring for their residents' physical and clinical needs.

Long-stay measures

• Percent of residents given influenza vaccination during the flu season
• Percent of residents who were assessed and given pneumococcal vaccination
• Percent of residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased
• Percent of residents who have moderate to severe pain
• Percent of high-risk residents who have pressure sores
• Percent of low-risk residents who have pressure sores
• Percent of residents who were physically restrained
• Percent of residents who are more depressed or anxious
• Percent of low-risk residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder
• Percent of residents who have/had a catheter inserted and left in their bladder
• Percent of residents who spent most of their time in bed or in a chair
• Percent of residents whose ability to move about in and around their room got worse
• Percent of residents with a urinary tract infection
• Percent of residents who lose too much weight

Short-stay measures

• Percent of short-stay residents given influenza vaccination during the flu season
• Percent of short-stay residents who were assessed and given pneumococcal
• Percent of short-stay residents with delirium
• Percent of short-stay residents who had moderate to severe pain
• Percent of short-stay residents with pressure sores

For clinical resources on any of these topics, visit MedQIC, the national quality improvement website.